Martin Luther King Jr. Prophetic Mountain Top Speech - Last Speech Given...Hours Before His Assassination - April 3, 1968

"I've Been to the Mountaintop" is the popular name of the last speech delivered by Martin Luther King, Jr.

King spoke on April 3, 1968, at the Mason Temple (Church of God in Christ Headquarters) in Memphis, Tennessee. On the next day, King was assassinated.

The speech primarily concerns the Memphis Sanitation Strike. King calls for unity, economic actions, boycotts, and nonviolent protest, while challenging the United States to live up to its ideals. At the end of the speech, he discusses the possibility of an untimely death.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I've_Been_to_the_Mountaintop

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Comment by Valentino Martinez on April 4, 2013 at 11:18am: American clergyman and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. (circa 1960)

(Photo by Consolidated News Pictures/Getty Images)

http://history1900s.about.com/cs/martinlutherking/a/mlkassass.htm

Martin Luther King Jr. Assassinated

At 6:01 p.m. on April 4, 1968, King was fatally shot at the Lorraine Motel.

By Jennifer Rosenberg, About.com Guide

At 6:01 p.m. on April 4, 1968, civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was hit by a sniper's bullet.

Martin Luther King Jr: A Dedicated Leader

When Martin Luther King, Jr. emerged as the leader of the a Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955, he began a long tenure as the spokesperson for nonviolent protest in the Civil Rights Movement. As a Baptist minister, he was a moral leader to the community. Plus, he was charismatic and had a powerful way of speaking. He was also a man of vision and determination. He never stopped dreaming of what could be.

Striking Sanitation Workers in Memphis

On February 12, thirteen hundred African-American sanitation workers in Memphis went on strike. Though there had been a long history of grievances, the strike was begun as a response to a January 31 incident in which 22 blstores..

When the City of Memphis refused to negotiate with the 1,300 striking workers, King and other civil rights leaders were asked to visit Memphis in support.

On April 3, King arrived in Memphis a little later than planned because there had been a bomb threat for his flight before takeoff. That evening, King delivered his "I've Been to the Mountaintop" speech to a relatively small crowd that had braved the bad weather to hear King speak. King's thoughts were obviously on his mortality, for he discussed the plane threat as well as the time he had been stabbed. He concluded the speech with

Well, I don't know what will happen now; we've got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn't matter with me now, because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life - longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over, and I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the Promised Land. And so I'm happy tonight; I'm not worried about anything; I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.

After the speech, King went back to the Lorraine Motel to rest..."

http://history1900s.about.com/cs/martinlutherking/a/mlkassass.htm